Refractory floor construction



Feb. 25, 1969 w N IC ET AL 3,429,487-

REFRACTORY FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 15, 1967 Sheet 4 of 2 F/GZINVENTORS. W/LL/AM I TREDE/V/V/C/f JAMES RICHARD MILLER 4 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 25, 1969 w, TREDENNlCK ET AL 3,429,487

REFRACTORY FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 24 V: Ni 22 :22 :lii L- -Hx 30 LINVENTORS.

WILL /A M r. rms-onv/wc/r JA MES R/CHA RD MILL ER BY EM A TTORNE KSUnited States Patent Filed July 13, 1967, Ser. No. 653,196 US. Cl.222566 Int. Cl. B6511 25/14 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A floorconstruction of special refractory brick is provided having concave andconvex surfaces on major faces and on end faces so that the bricksinterlock into a rigid floor without mortar.

The present invention is directed to a refractory floor construction forvessels used or supporting molten metal, such as ladles. The vessel hasa floor constructed of refractory brick preferably of the bloating type.The bricks have a concave surface on one major face and mating convexsurface on the opposite major face. The major face of the brick is theface of largest area. The bricks also have a concave surface on one endface and a mating convex surface on the other end face. The floorsurface is defined by side faces of the brick as opposed to the majorfaces which lie in generally upright planes. The convex surfaces on thebricks mate with concave surfaces on adjacent bricks, whereby the bricksbloat when subjected to heat and interlock with one another without useof mortar. Hence, the ladle may be turned upside down for purposes ofcleaning slag or the like without the floor falling out of position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel refractoryfloor construction for vessels adapted to support molten metal.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelrefractory floor construction comprised of specially designed brickswhich will rigidly interlock with one another when subjected to heatwithout use of mortar.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelrefractory floor construction using specially designed bricks which maybe of varying widths and used to make floors for ladles of varyingdiameters, with the floor having a tapping aperture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a partial sectional view of a ladle having a floorconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along the line 22 in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the line 33 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the line 44 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of a brick.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the brick shown in FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a top view of the brick shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate likeelements, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a vessel adapted to containmolten metal such as a ladle designated generally as 10.

3,429,487 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 ice a floor 20 constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

The floor 20 is constructed of refractory bloating brick designatedgenerally as 22. Each brick 22 has a major or top face. 24 which isconcave and a major or bottom face 26 which is convex, planar side faces28- and 30, a convex end face 32 and a concave end face 34. All of thebricks 22 utilized in forming the bottom wall 20 are identical and ofthe same dimensions. The width of the bricks may be varied as desireddepending upon the size of the ladle.

In conjunction with a ladle having a 12 foot diameter, we prefer to usebricks 22 which are basically 6 inches by 3 inches. Thus, the height ofthe bricks between surfaces 24- and 26 is 3 inches, and the width of thebricks between surfaces 28 and 30 is 6 inches. The dimension 36illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 7 is .325 inch, with the radius ofcurvature for the surfaces 24, 26, 32 and 34 being 14 inches. Also, thelength of the bricks between surfaces 32 and 34 was 8.250 inches. Thesedimensions are exemplary of an embodiment of the present invention andmay be modified as desired depending upon the size of the ladle asreferred to above.

The ladle 10' may be of the type having a tapping aperture 38 in itsbottom Wall 20. As shown more clearly in FIGURES 3 and 4, the aperture38 is defined by end faces 32 or 34 on the bricks 22. The bottom 14 ofshell 12 supports the floor 20 and is provided with an aperture 40 inline with the aperture 38. The plug or other structure utilized to closethe aperture 30 is not shown. The shape of apertures 38 and 40' may bevaried as desired.

For se, bloating brick is known. When the floor 20 formed of bloatingbrick is constructed in accordance with the present invention, andcontacted with molten metal having a temperature such as 2300" F., thebrick may permanently expand in volume as much as 35-50 percent with noshrinkage. Such expansion is accommodated by the fact that each face 28is unrestrained. Such permanent expansion of the brick interlocks thevarious bricks wherein each concave surface mates with a convex surfaceon the major and end faces of the bricks. The side faces 28 of thebricks define the floor surface. Thus, the rigid interlocking of thebricks without use of mortar results in a floor 20 which will not fallapart when the ladle is turned upside down for purposes of cleaning,dispensing of molten metal, etc.

While a bloating brick is preferred for steel teeming ladles, volumestable brick can be used in some environments. In other environments, abrick having an aluminum content of about 50% with a bloat of about 10%can be used. Due to the above described construction of the bricks, itis possible to construct bottoms for furnaces, bottoms for vessels otherthan those adapted to contain molten metal, furnace arches or roofs,etc.

The radius of curvature for the concave and covex surface on each brickis the same. The amount of this radius varies with the Width of thebrick. For bricks whose Width is 4 inches, the radius of curvature wouldbe 8 inches. For bricks whose width is 8 inches, the radius of curvaturewould be 16 inches. Hence, the radius of curvature varies between 8 and16 inches depending on the size of the brick which varies depending onthe size of the ladle to be built.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. In a vessel adapted to support molten metal, the vessel having afloor constructed of refractory brick and supported by a shell, thefloor being comprised of refractory bloating bricks having a concavesurface on one major face and a mating convex surface on the oppositemajor face, said brick also having a concave surface on one end face anda convex surface on the other end face, the floor surface being definedby side faces 'of said bricks, the convex surfaces mating with a concavesurface on adjacent bricks, whereby the bricks bloat when subjected toheat and interlock with one another without use of mortar.

2. In a vessel in accordance with claim 1 wherein the radius ofcurvature on said concave and convex faces is all identical.

3. In a vessel in accordance with claim 1 including a tapping aperturein said floor, said aperture being defined by end faces on said bricks,and said floor consisting -of one course of said bricks.

4. A refractory brick having a concave surface on References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1950 Smith 10667 X 12/1957 Kelsey 26643 OTHERREFERENCES Modern Refractory Practice: published by Harbison- WalkerRefractories Co, 4th ed., copyright 1961, p. 439 only.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 266-43

